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Coronavirus: 554 doctors infected in Bangladesh
The number doctors infected by coronavirus reached 554 on Sunday, said Bangladesh Doctors Foundation (BDF), a forum of physicians.
Coronavirus: 67 fresh cases confirmed in Faridpur, Munshiganj, Keraniganj
A total of 67 people were diagnosed with coronavirus in Faridpur, Munshiganj districts and Dhaka’s Keraniganj upazila on Sunday.
Coronavirus: 9 firefighters test positive
Nine firefighters, including an officer, of Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) were diagnosed with coronavirus till Sunday morning.
Budget discussions set to formally commence on May 5
Ordinary citizens alongside stakeholders will be allowed to submit their own suggestions on the upcoming national budget on the website of Finance Division, though it remains unclear how much resource or effort would be expended on incorporating them.
Journalist Kajol lands in Jashore jail
Journalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol, who was missing for 53 days before turning up at Sadipur border area at Benapole early Sunday, has been sent to jail in a case filed under section 54 of the Digital Security Act.
RMG factories with high coronavirus cases to be closed: Minister
Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday said if many workers of a factory are diagnosed with coronavirus, then it will be kept closed for several days.
Over 40 million citizens provided with relief under govt schemes
More than four crore (40 million) citizens have so far received relief items under the aid schemes undertaken by the government.
Bangladesh Bank suspends interest on bank loans for April-May period
Bangladesh Bank has suspended all kinds of interest on bank loans for from April 1 to May 31 as businesses have been hugely affected by coronavirus outbreak.
A circular issued by the central bank’s Banking Regulations and Policy Department (BRPD) to all banks of the country said the Bangladesh Bank has decided that interest on all kinds of bank loans have to be transferred as interest-less blocked.
“This blocked interest should not be realised from borrowers until further order and such kind of interest should not be transferred to the income of the banks,” said the Bangladesh Bank.
Autorickshaw, tempo workers ‘not getting food aid’
An organisation of autorickshaw and tempo workers said its members are not getting food aid from the district administrations although the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MDMR) in a letter on March 29 asked them to extend support.
An official document, received by UNB, shows the MDMR issued a letter to all deputy commissioners (DCs) asking them to prepare a list of all the daily wage earners who lost their employments due to Covid-19 to provide them food support.
It said the Prime Minister has asked to provide food support by preparing a list of beggars, day labourers, rickshaw pullers, van drivers, transport workers, restaurant workers, vendors, teastall owners, especially those who depend on their daily earnings.
Besides, food support has to be provided to people including agriculture workers by preparing city corporation, municipality and union parishad-based lists.
“This lists have to be prepared in coordination with affluent people, organisations and NGOs who are also providing support so that any duplication could be avoided,” mentioned the letter signed by Md Shah Kamal, senior secretary of the ministry.
Mentioning the directives of the letter, leaders of Bangladesh Auto-rickshaw-Autotempo Transport Workers Federation (BAATWF) alleged that as a transport sector workers association, they submitted a list of auto-rickshaw and auto-tempo workers to the district administrations to help them enlist their names in their lists.
“But so far we got no response from DC offices except in few districts,” Golam Faruk, BAATWF general secretary, told UNB.
“Even we submitted our area-based workers list to DC office in Dhaka and Dhaka North and South City Corporations, but so far got no response,” he added.
He said drivers of CNG-run auto-rickshaws are passing days in misery as they have been left without work amid the nationwide shutdown aimed at curbing coronavirus.
Faruk said like other vehicles, three-wheelers also remained off the streets after the government shut all modes of transportation across the country from March 26.
Usually, auto-rickshaw drivers earn money on a daily basis. They have no work now, putting the drivers and their families in serious trouble.
Normally, an auto-rickshaw driver earns about Tk 500 a day after meeting others expenses, including deposit to auto-rickshaw owner, he added.
Accused in Kadamtali rape case put on 3-day remand
A Dhaka court here on Sunday placed an accused of a rape case, on a three-day remand for violating a six-year-old girl in city’s Kadamtali area.